Pironet NDH AG / Release of an announcement according to Article 37x of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]
16.05.2008
Interim report according to Article 37x of the WpHG
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Cologne, 16.05.2008; Germany's economic development is still intact despite
the international finance crisis and is allowing companies to continue to
follow upward trends. This particularly applies to the information
technology sector, which is again growing at a markedly stronger rate than
the national economy. Pironet NDH AG is also profiting from continuously
high investor confidence as a provider of information and communication
technology. As one of the most innovative and fastest-growing providers of
products and services in the areas of digital content creation,
synchronisation and distribution and ITK outsourcing, it managed to
continue the two-digit growth of previous years in the first quarter of
2008.
Sales increased by a good 11% from EUR 12.3 million to EUR 13.7 million and
reached a new all-time high for the first quarter. The sales mix however
developed in an ambivalent manner. While the IT services area developed
well, the software area stagnated. On the other hand, the EBIT decreased
from EUR 0.6 million to EUR 0.3 million. Two reasons were responsible for
this: as a result of the investment offensive (around EUR 30 million) in
the last three years, depreciation, above all that felt on self-produced
products, increased from EUR 0.7 million to EUR 1.0 million. As however the
high-margin software business made no progress in the first quarter for
seasonal reasons, the financial return reduced from EUR 0.28 million to EUR
0.21 million. An EBT of EUR 0.5 million on balance as against EUR 0.9
million in the previous year was consequently produced. Despite further
high investment, liquid capital improved from EUR 0.5 million to EUR 23.8
million as against the last trading day of 2007 and therefore amounts to
EUR 1.63 per share. Pironet NDH continues to operate without any bank
liabilities.
The figures for the 1st quarter corresponded to our planning (sales figures
for the 1st and 2nd half of the year were 45% and 55% respectively). For
2008, we are therefore confident of achieving the company guidance. Sales
activities have been developing positively. In light of a record order
volume of around EUR 45 million, our targets therefore still envisage
double-digit growth with respect to sales and earnings. In 2007, Pironet
NDH achieved an annual net profit of EUR 3.4 million (after third party
shares) with sales of EUR 53.9 million, which corresponds to a return of
EUR 0.23 per share.
Significant sales were made in the period under review in the ITK
outsourcing area in the context of the implementation of the major Nordex
project. The North-German company TecDax rolled out its company-wide SAP
environment in Pironet NDH's data centre at the beginning of the year.
Around 400 users at the various production locations in Germany and China
are now using the Software as a Service (SaaS) concept on the SAP
applications. In the course of the year, this figure will increase to over
750.
The American company Agentrics transferring its master data business to
SINFOS GmbH was a significant occurrence at the beginning of the year.
Since SINFOS has changed its name to SA2 Worldsync, the company has been
providing master data services for more than 2,600 clients across 15
countries. SA2 Worldsync is therefore one of the largest master data pools
in the world and it alone has around 30 of the 50 largest traders in the
world as part of its clientele.
The fastest-growing entity in the Pironet NDH network in the period under
review was once again our subsidiary nexum AG. The Bundesverband Digitale
Wirtschaft (BVDW) [The German Digital Industry Association] described it as
a 'shooting star' that established itself within the top 30 in the
interactive industry for the first time. Remember that 2 years ago it was
still at 121st place.
The Board of Directors
DGAP 16.05.2008
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Language: English
Issuer: Pironet NDH AG
Theodor - Heuss Strasse 92 - 100
51149 Köln
Deutschland
Internet: www.pironet-ndh.com
End of News DGAP News-Service
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DGAP-IRE: Pironet NDH AG: Pironet NDH continues to grow
| Source: EQS Group AG